Carles Reina, a longtime operator and early-stage investor known for backing deep-tech and AI companies, has launched Baobab Ventures, a $15 million solo GP fund focused on pre-seed and seed teams working in AI, robotics, and defence. The announcement, shared publicly this week, marks Reina’s transition into running his own operator-led fund while continuing in his go-to-market leadership role at ElevenLabs.
Baobab Ventures has already deployed capital into seven startups. Four of those investments have been disclosed: THEKER Robotics, Omnia, Murphy AI, and Altan. Three additional deals remain undisclosed for now. The strategy centers on supporting highly technical founding teams operating in fast-moving markets where rapid execution, weekly product iteration, and aggressive go-to-market acceleration can be decisive.
Reina brings nearly a decade of investing experience, including an early angel check into Revolut (now valued at $75 billion) and being the first investor in ElevenLabs, which recently reached a $6.6 billion valuation. Over the years, he has backed 74 startups, many of which are in deep-tech categories such as robotics, AI infrastructure, and automation.
He emphasized that startup building has changed meaningfully in recent years, with sales cycles accelerating and product-led growth increasingly driving enterprise expansion. According to Reina, founding teams must hit market momentum quickly, which is where he aims to actively support GTM and distribution across major global regions, including the U.S., Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Reina also credited a long list of limited partners who backed the fund, including institutions such as Cendana Capital, cyber•Fund, Isomer Capital, RSJ Investments, Emergence Ventures, and dara5, as well as a roster of well-known founders, operators, and investors.
